After half of our games, Top 4 in the west is very feasible

I still think 4th is pushing it.

I do think tonight's game will be the difference in the whole season.

If they do win at Indiana, I can see them winning at Orlando and Miami, then at home against Sacramento, putting aside even more road games.

After that, we have WAY more games at home than on the road.

If we beat the Pacers, I think we can make 5th spot. If not, I'm thinking 6th or 7th.

 

I promise you if the rocks win tonight, they will lose to one of the florida teams. That's just how it works with the rocks.

 

Are we assuming here that the Rockets win the games they should have won but the other playoff-bound Western teams continue to lose games they should have won?

 

Sorry, but no way we are top 4. If Yao can sustain 22/12/2 like he has recently we probably could, but that's highly unlikely. 6 is reasonable.

 

riley record (away wins and home losses) has us at 10-5 which is pretty impressive

 

Look, I'll be happy with making the playoffs, and pleased if we get, say, the #6 spot. It's early to have the same skip-to-my-lou attitude about the playoffs as our team seems to get with a decent lead: the other team can easily sneak up and bite us.

Right now we're all bunched in as far as the standings go. Memphis is only one game back and owns the tie-breaker. The team still has a tendency to lose too many games.

I believe we'll be in the playoffs, but if we get into the Top 4, I want to be the first (I won't be, someone will beat me to it) to say, "Man, Dearrock, if you didn't know what you're talking about."

 

5th seed at best. Lakers are going to get healthy eventually, and Dallas is kinda up in the air but they've won their last 6 games. I dunno who they faced in those 6 games but it's a sign that they've either had a lot of home games lately or that they're squad is finally coming together. Whichever it may be, they're winning now, and it's a good thing we are too, otherwise we'd be an 8 seed. Hell we could be tied for 7th by the end of the night assuming the Grizzlies win tonight and we lose. But we're also only a game and a half back out of being a 4 seed, and only 3 1/2 or 4 1/2 out of being first in our division. It's all too early to judge. We're 7-3 in our last 10 games but it seems everyone in our division is winning as well so like I said it's hard to judge where we'll land. If all teams in our division continue to stay this close, it could come down to the final game of the season to determine whether we'll be an 8 seed or a 4 seed. It's just that close.

 

The two teams that scare me the most are Dallas and Sacramento. They present the biggest matchup problem for Houston because of the nature of their offenses. Both teams bring the ball up quickly, and take quick shots before the D can set up. Because they are both excellent passing and shooting teams, they can outgun us all game long. And, as we all know, it's hard for Houston to win when they have to outscore an opponent.

 

4,....8 th see really doesn't matter, you have to win the playoff series to be successful. Rockets need to show offensive improvements, a fresher yao, and play better on the road to win in the playoffs.

 

Consistency is the key for this team, and for most players on this team.

 

Get to the playoffs with that run, and a run in the playoffs is possible.

I don't know what the back-to-backs are as the season heads down into tough time, either for Rox or teams they play, but Rox are on uptick. They just got to keep on ticking.

 

I think that the Rockets are crossing a hump (or quite possibly have already cleared it). They have gone from a team that could be good to a team that, for all intents and purposes, IS good.

I think that the playoffs are no longer in question, they will make them this year and next, and next (barring major injuries to Steve/Yao); I think soon they will start shifting to the next phase soonn (positioning for the second season, and then becoming playoff winners).

 

What I like about Van Gundy is that it seems he doesn't allow the players to dwell on a loss, no matter how stupidly earned.

Half a season to develop more consistency and learn how to put lesser teams away...

It wouldn't surprise me if, by the end of the season, the top four are fighting to not be in a first round matchup with the Rockets.

Good win tonight.

 

The rampaging Rockets won 78-74 Friday in Indiana, but the Pacers' Rick Carlisle still clinched the right to coach the East All-Stars.

- taken from nba.com..

yes we are rampaging!

J

 

I remember reading an article by the sportsguy.. anyone know which one im talking about? where he mentioned the Rox as the sleeper in the West that if were clicking No One wants to meet us in the first round of the playoffs.

I thought it was very interesting and we do seem to be playing well lately.. we dont have a nice streak but 8 out of last 11 is pretty damn good.

Good night Y'all

J

 

We actually won 9 of our last 12 games and we're the only team in the west to beat the Pacers at Conseco. I think the offense while still mediocre is starting to put out a little more and the defense is just superb this year holding teams in the 70s. Yao ming in his last few games has been more agressive on the boards (had 12 rebounds tonight) and is shooting the ball pretty well. Jim Jackson has that good shooting storke going again now (a wildcard to the team). He's been known to be a pretty good three-point shooter all of his career and if he can stroke that shot constantly with his nice shooting touch, it takes more of the load off of Steve and Yao. Steve has also improved his attitude toward the game and he's passing the ball more which creates more oppurtunity to other teammates. The only thing he needs to concentrate on at this point is to cut down on his turnovers. He had 5 tonight. One more and it could've cost us the game. Still in seventh place right now but I see the Nuggets eventually coming to earth and we have to beat Memphis in the remaining two matchups because otherwise they have the tiebreaker and they're here to stay (only one game back from us). They whooped the Kings' behind tonight.

 

Rockets are on pace to end the season with 49 wins. There's a chance we could do better than that since we have 22 home games left compared to 18 road games (and the next two road games are against Orlando and Miami). On the other hand, we have 24 games against WC teams left (half against the big 5), compared to 18 against EC teams.

We're also one game under .500 on the road. Beating Orlando and Miami would put us one game over .500 at 12-11.

 

DearRock,

I agree, if only because of our record after 42 games, of which 23 have been on the road.

I have always measured team records against its road and home games to date. For instance, we've played 19 home games (vs. 23 away), but have 25 wins; that makes us +6. Each time will have a + or - score, and it serves as a pretty good comparative barometer. Rox have played more road games than anyone in the Midwest Division and we've fared pretty well with an 11-12 road record. Just look at the betting line and you can see how few road teams are favored - it's just tough. It all balances out after 82 games.

If we stay healthy, we have a great shot at 6th spot.

D R